


Tough As Nails

by waywardstardust



Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Coming Out, Family Drama, Gay Connor Murphy (Dear Evan Hansen), Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Larry is an asshole, Nail Polish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-12 15:57:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15998534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waywardstardust/pseuds/waywardstardust
Summary: Connor discovers the art of nail painting. His family reacts.





	Tough As Nails

**Author's Note:**

> I got a prompt on tumblr: “It would be cool to see the Murphy family's reactions the first time Connor painted his nails black and when he told them he was gay?”
> 
> A/N: there is some offensive language in this because larry murphy is generally a dick. just wanted to put that out there. but don’t worry, zoe & cynthia’s got connor’s back.

Connor cracked open a window. He had no idea this stuff smelled so intense.

He didn’t know what he was thinking when he snatched Zoe’s black nail polish, he had just been bored and suddenly felt the need to do something about his looks. And let’s face it, this shit was pretty cool.

After making a mess of his floor and his hands, with his tongue hanging out of his mouth the whole time he focused hard on the task, he was satisfied with the result.

His nails were matte black and he loved it.

How edgy is this? No guy at his school wore nail polish and instead of feeling embarrassed about being different, Connor felt empowered.

He was the weird kid anyway, why not go all out?

Connor stared at his hands, modeling them in front of his face to see the full effect of his art work. Yes. Definitely a good idea.

Suddenly he heard pounding on his door.

“Connor! Have you been in my room again? I told you to stop going through my stuff!” Zoe’s voice pierced through the door.

Connor sighed and rolled the cap closed on nail polish bottle. Then he got up to open the door.

“Sorry, I just borrowed this for a minute. All yours.” He said and handed Zoe the bottle.

“You borrowed nail polish?” Zoe asked confused and then her eyes traveled down to Connor’s nails. “Oh my god, you painted your nails!” She squealed.

Then she started laughing.

“What? Guys can paint their nails too.” Connor defended himself, determined not to feel embarrassed about his fashion choice.

Zoe laughed again. “Yeah, I know, it’s just… Connor your fingers are a mess!” She laughed at him.

Connor rolled his eyes. “Well, it’s not like I’ve done this before, you’ve had a head start.” He mumbled.

Zoe laughed. “I know. Come here.” She said and walked back into her room.

Connor stood still and confused for a moment before following her to her room.

Zoe handed him a bottle of nail polish remover and a q-tip.

“Let me introduce you to my good friend, the q-tip. You’re supposed to clean off the excess so that it doesn’t look like you just dipped your fingers in the nail polish, you doofus.” She chuckled and pushed the bottle and q-tip in Connor’s hands.

Connor looked at them and then back at Zoe. “Oh… Thanks, Zo.” He said, still taken aback by her kindness.

He and Zoe didn’t hate each other, they just… Didn’t interact much unless it was to scream at each other for something the other did wrong.

“Sure. I want the nail polish remover back though. If you’re gonna start painting your nails regularly, you’re gonna have to buy your own supplies. I’ve only got enough for one.” Zoe explained.

“Fair enough.” Connor replied and walked back into his room to clean his nails up.

Later at the dinner table, Connor got to experience the other reaction to his new look.

“What the hell is on your hands?” Connor was suddenly dragged out of his own thoughts by Larry’s voice.

“It’s just nail polish. Chill.” Connor offhandedly replied.

“You mean you did that on purpose?” Larry acquired.

“Larry…” Cynthia said in a warning tone.

That was Connor’s parents’ roles in the family: Larry flipped his shit over the smallest things and sweet Cynthia tried to calm his ass down.

“Yeah. This don’t exactly happen on accident.” Connor sarcastically replied.

“Why the hell would you do that?” Larry wouldn’t let the subject go.

“Because I wanted to?” Connor replied, now very annoyed.

“Connor, that’s stupid.” Larry said. “Nail polish is for women and queers.” He continued.

“Dad, come on, it’s just nail polish.” Zoe chimed in too, which Connor was grateful for, but it was too late now.

“Nail polish isn’t gender specific, nothing is really and even if it was, so what? Who is my nail painting hurting?” Connor replied and crossed his hands across his chest.

“You as a man wearing nail polish gives people the wrong idea!” Larry argued.

“And what’s that?” Connor asked.

“That you’re a queer!” Larry raised his voice.

“Larry, please, inside voice.” Cynthia tried to remind him.

“So?” Connor challenged.

“So!?” Larry repeated.

“Yeah, so? Who cares?” Connor argued.

“I do! I don’t want people thinking my son is a queer!” Larry said.

“Why not? They’d have the right idea.” Connor replied. There. He’d said it.

Cynthia and Zoe looked shocked.

Larry was fuming.

“Excuse me!?” He basically yelled.

“You heard me.” Connor simply said.

“Are you seriously telling me that-”

“I’m gay. Yeah. Great solve, Sherlock.” Connor replied, knowing full well that his sarcasm would not be welcomed in this situation.

Larry stared at his son and Connor could swear he saw smoke coming out of his ears.

After a minute of silence, Larry stood up from the table.

“No.” He said.

“No?” Connor asked, not believing his ears.

“No.” Larry repeated and walked out of the dining room, leaving his barely touched dinner on the table.

The remaining Murphy’s sat quietly at the table.

Connor couldn’t believe what had just happened.

Ever since he’d come to understand his sexuality, he knew the day he’d come out would not be pretty.

Connor himself didn’t have a sexuality crisis or any kind of a freak out over the matter. By the time he figured it out, it was like everything clicked into place. He accepted it.

He was nervous for other people’s reactions, but since he’d already gotten the role of the weird kid with no friends, his worries faded away. Being gay was probably not the biggest reason people wanted nothing to do with him.

But all Larry, his father, could say was ‘no’? This was ridiculous. Utter bullshit.

“Connor.” His mother’s voice brought him back to the situation at hand.

He turned to look at her without saying anything.

“I will talk to your father. He just needs some time.” Cynthia said, looking at Connor with sympathetic eyes.

“Oh yeah, I’m sure Larry will be thrilled in no time.” Connor said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Your father is not a bad man. I will talk to him and everything will go back to normal.” Cynthia promised.

“Normal as in where I’m not gay? Cause I’m sorry to inform you mom, but you can’t pray the gay away.” Connor said.

“Honey, I know that.” Cynthia assured him. “That’s not what I meant. I mean, it will all be okay.” She said.

Connor was skeptical with the idea of Larry ever being okay with who Connor was, but he didn’t want to argue with his mother, who believed she could fix and cure everyone.

He gave his mother a small smile.

“Thanks mom.” He said.

Cynthia smiled back and got up from her seat.

“I love you, Connor.” She said, before walking out towards the same direction Larry had disappeared in.

Connor sighed. What a fucking day.

“Okay.” Zoe spoke up for the first time in a while and Connor turned to look at her.

“Let’s go buy you some goddamn nail polish.” She continued.

Connor laughed.

Despite all her flaws and their disagreements, his sister could be pretty fucking great.


End file.
